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Man drugged toddler and shot and beat ex-girlfriend

A MAN shot his former girlfriend with a flare gun before savagely attacking her with a meat cleaver and drugging their toddler child, a court heard.

Gillian Blackmore, 27, ran for her life, naked and covered in blood, leaving her 20-month-old daughter inside her home with her ex-partner Roger Weir, who then fed the girl heroin from a syringe into her mouth.

Winchester Crown Court heard how Weir, 45, then held the youngster hostage barricaded inside her bedroom where he told police he had a gun and a meat cleaver.

The court was told how Miss Blackmore was found outside the block of flats in Alexander Square, Eastleigh, by her new boyfriend Barry Towler, an off-duty police community support officer.

She was screaming that Weir was going to kill their little girl.

Mr Towler attempted to get into the flat to rescue the child but was stopped by police who had gone inside and found the hallway full of smoke.

They could hear a man shouting: “Don't come in here or I'll shoot the baby.”

The smoke had come from Weir shooting a flare which had set fire to the carpet.

The court heard how the terrifying ordeal unfolded in the early hours of Monday May 7 when Weir had contacted Miss Blackmore to say he was bringing their daughter home early because she wouldn't settle at his home in Poole, Dorset.

He turned up just after midnight but then refused to leave the flat after the girl was put to bed.

Weir walked over to Miss Blackmore, who was only wearing a dressing gown, and handed her a bullet asking her if she knew what it was. He then pulled a small flare gun out of his pocket and told her that if he removed a certain part it could be used to fire a bullet. He also produced a metal police baton and hit her on the legs after telling her he wanted her dead.

He warned that if Mr Towler came into the flat “his kids were going to be orphans too”.

The court was told of a “chilling” 999 call which Miss Blackmore made to police while she was being attacked from behind with a meat cleaver across the back of her neck.

She later told police that she recalled Weir firing the gun at her and she felt something in her side. She was fully expecting to die, she said.

She escaped after a struggle, in which Weir ripped off her dressing gown, and ran outside naked.

Eventually a police officer calmed down Weir and he agreed to hand over the child at the flat's front door. Weir was later found inside having taken drugs and attempted to slash his own wrist.

Inside the flat police found a number of bullets on the child's bed, a blood stained meat cleaver and syringes.

Today Weir pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Miss Blackmore and administering a noxious substance to the child.

Judge Keith Cutler, the Recorder of Winchester, adjourned the case until Friday when Weir will be sentenced.